A weekend to INTEGRATE
INTEGRATE brings together a burst of flavours from across Asia through the lives of migrants in Singapore. Come be part of it.
This is the second time Migrant Voices is presenting INTEGRATE. First showcased in 2006 at The Substation and Timbre, we are now taking the show to Post-Museum and extending the event to 2 days (3rd and 4th May). The events are held on weekends in order to encourage greater participation from both non-work permit holders and those who only have Sundays off from work.
With partners, TWC2 and HOME, Migrant Voices will present works done largely by work-permit holders (foreign workers) and Special pass holders (those seeking re-dress with authorities) through past workshops.
The programme for Day 1 & 2 looks like this:
DAY 1 : Saturday, 3rd May 2008
12:00pm INTEGRATE officially opens. The Post-Museum gallery will have photographs and artworks on display. Migrant Voices, TWC2 and HOME will each have a booth at the space so you're welcome to look through merchandise or ask us questions. There is also a slideshow of pictures from past workshops screened.
4:30pm Poetry Readings & Open Mic sessions from poets & artists. A talkback session will also follow after the readings. Poets include, Kirpal Singh, Sonja Bretschneider, Gunn and Kathy Li
6:00pm USE, a drama piece, written by Hemang Yadav and Lao Gao Ju. It will be performed by members of Three Men Productions, who made one of the winning entries for the "Fly by Nite 2008" video competition. This piece draws from personal experiences and observances of our interaction with foreign migrant workers.
7:00pm Film Screenings @ Post-Museum. Donate as you wish.
Some of the films shown are:
The Story of Stuff (USA), 20 minutes
From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute; fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.
Foreign Dreams (Singapore), 7 minutes, rated PG
About a letter home written by an Indian construction worker. Born in Hong Kong, Elgin Ho was exposed to the film industry as early as five years old. He is currently an undergraduate majoring in Digital Film at the NTU School of Art, Design & Media. Foreign Dreams was awarded the Silver Crow bar at the prestigious Singapore Student Creative Awards 2002 and has been screened in film festivals around the world.
DAY 2 : Sunday, 4th May 2008
2:00pm Bollywood Dhamaka, Two women from India puts up a performance using Kathak, a form of Indian dance largely seen in Bollywood movies. Bollywood films are mostly musicals and are expected to contain catchy music in the form of song-and-dance numbers woven into the script. The women from HOME shelter will perform Bole Chudiyan and other songs from popular Bollywood movies.
4:30pm Reading of poetry/open mic session. Poets include Migrant Voices’ very own, Susy Bungsu.
5:30pm A performing trio from Philippines and Indonesia will sing in Tagalog and Bahasa. Nurifah, Ummairoh and Lenny are foreign domestic workers having been working in Singapore for many years. Nurifah and Ummairoh have been a part of Migrant Voices’ past shows while this is the first time Lenny performs.
7:00pm Ovibashi Jibon (The Migrant Life), How do you feel about waiting in line to seek help? Mamun, a young Bangladeshi reaches our shores with dreams and aspirations only to find the reality to be screwed. This piece is based on true stories, directed and performed by the men living at the HOME men’s shelter. The performance will be followed by discussion facilitated.
8:30pm CLOSE of event, A performance by the same group of men who performed Ovibashi Jibon. The folk songs will be in Bengali and performed with the tabla. Expect a lively show of appreciation for songs not heard on our local radios.